Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Freedom of Information Act

Congratulations to President Obama for being the 44th president of the United States of America, and to the people for the choosing the path of change.

Although it remains to be seen as to how effective is his presidency, his vision and not false promises are the one that gives us hope that things can get better if we believe it will and work for it.

On his first day in office, he announced he would freeze the pay of about 100 senior staffers who now earn more than $100,000, and he pledged to comply with not only the letter but the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act, which allows access to public records and one of the most powerful instruments to hold government accountable.

Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of his presidency. "However long we are keepers of the public trust, we should never forget we are public servants,"Obama said,

He cautioned staffs that they should not use their positions to seek favor for themselves, friends or corporate interests.

His orders will prevent staffers who were lobbyists from working on matters or with agencies related to that lobbying, and he said that any staffer who leaves would not be allowed to lobby the Obama administration.